Supporting device



SUPPORTING DEVICE Filed Dec. 1, 1948 4 j FIG.5

EVANGELOS ZA KO 5 INVENTOR BMW ATTORNEY Patented July 15, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE i 2,603,357 a a SUPPORTING' D EVlCE. 'Evangelo's Zakos, Brooklyn, N. .Y. I Application December 1, 1948, Serial No. 62,940 I This invention relates to improvements in supporting devices for display cards and books, and an object of this invention is to provide'a device having a base and two L-shape'd supporting members and means for adjusting the L-shaped members on the base to resiliently support a card or book in upright position;

Another object of this invention is to provide parallel ribs forming a guideway on the base and L-shaped members having legs fitting in the guideway, one of the members having a. slotted leg resting on the platform while the other member has an aperture, and to provide a bolt passing through the. aperture and through the slotto secure the members in adjusted relation; from each other.

Another object of this'invention is to secure a spring to each upright wall and facing; each other to press against the supported article" from opposite sides and to provide an elongated platform member having end portions resting on the ribs and being integral with the head portion of the bolt, whereby, when the bolt is tightened, the platform is slightly bent into engagement with the legs to frictionally clamp both legs while providing a continuous supporting surface extending the entire width of the angles to prevent damage to the lower surface of the supported article.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention will be hereinafter more particularly described, and the combination and arrangement of parts will be shown in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claim which forms part of this specification.

Reference will now be had to the drawings, wherein like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which:

Figure 1 is an end view of the supporting device.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the supporting device shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a central cross-sectional view, taken on line 3--3 in Figure 5.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 4-4 in Figure 5. Y

Figure 5 is a plan device of the supporting device.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the numeral It indicates a supporting device for cards or books and comprises a hollow body at the upper surface |2 of which is a rectangular arrangement of upwardly extending ribs I3 lying in parallel planes. 7 r

The central portion of the upper surface |2 has 1 Claim. (01. 211-43) an aperture l4 through which a bolt l5 passes and has a wing nut I6 threaded thereon below theupper surface [2. x

, Mounted on the upper surface I2 is an L- shaped member-ll having its lower leg l8 resting on the upper surface l2 and with the bolt l5 freely passing through a slot I!) in the lower leg l8.

The width of -the Lrshaped member ll'issufiicient tocontact'the ribs |3' andbe freely slidable between the ribs which form aguideway 20. Mounted in the guid'eway 20 is a fixed L -shaped memberZ I having'its lower leg 22 above the lower leg H! of the L-shaped' member II. The lower leg of the L-shaped member I! has'an aperture 23 through which the bodybolt l5 freely passes.

, It is to be noted that thenbolt l5 has'a tapering head. 25 and that. a. narrow" elongated platform member 26'which has its" end portions resting'on the guideway ribs I3 is integral with the head portion of the bolt I5.

It is also to be noted that the platform 2'6 when in supported relation on the ribs I3 is slightly spaced from the leg 22 of the L-shaped member 2| and that when the bolt is tightened the elongated platform 26 is bent into clamping engagement with the legs of the L-shaped members and frictionally clamps both legs of said members in slidable relation. The platform 26 provides a continuous supporting surface extending the entire width of the L-shaped members l1 and 2| to prevent damage to the lower surface of an article resting on the platform.

A particular function of this invention is the ability to adjust the slidable L-shaped member ll to or away from the fixed L-shaped member 2| so as to vary the distance between the upright legs of these L-shaped members and to support articles such as books of varying thickness. It will be seen that with the structure as shown, the

slidable L-shaped member "may be moved into adjusted relation from the fixed L-shaped member 2|, as indicated by the arrows in Figure 5. The user may grasp the upright leg of the slidable L-shaped member I! and move it to or from the upright leg of the fixed L-shaped member 2| without requiring any adjustment of the wing nut l6 below the surface l2. Leaf springs 28 having arcuate midportions 35 facing each other are secured by rivets 29 to the lower portions of the L-shaped members I! and 2| and may slide at their flat upper ends 36 against these members and serve for resiliently gripping an articlefrom opposite sides. A handle 30 may serve for moving the supporting device I on a table, etc. Rubber cushions 3! may be suitably secured below the body H to prevent scratching up the table.

In accordance with the patent statutes I have described and illustrated the preferred embodiment of my invention, but it will be understood that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claim. 1

Iclaim:

An adjustable supporting device comprising a hollow base having a bolt passing through an aperture located centrally of the base, said bolt having threadable adjustment means below said base, a first L-shaped member having its lower leg slotted, said lower leg being slidable on said base, a. second L-shaped member having its lower leg resting on the lower leg of said first L-shaped member, said bolt freely passing through the slot in said first L-shaped member and through an aperture in said second .L-shaped member whereby the spacing between the upright legs of the L-shaped members may be varied, an upright leaf spring on each L-shaped member, each spring comprising an arcuate portion with one end secured to the inwardly disposed'face of the upright leg of its respective L-shaped member and the other end being slidable on the upright leg upon compression of the arcuate portion of the leaf spring, said- L-shapedmembers being adjustable between a. position wherein the .arcuate portions of opposed leaf springs are in substantially confronting relation for the gripping support of an article of single card-like thickness and a' position wherein the arcuate portions of the leaf-springs are spaced for the reception of an article or articles of greater thickness, said base being provided with parallel upwardly extending ribs forming a guideway for the slotted L-shaped member, an elongated platform member disposed over the lower legs and between the upright legs of the L-shaped members, said platform member having end portions resting on said ribs, said ribs being of a height slightly greater than the combined heights of the lower legs of the two L-shaped members, said platform being resilient and integral with the head portion of said bolt, whereby through the medium of the threaded bolt adjustment means below the base, said platform may be drawn from a position wherein it does not contact the lower leg of the second L-shaped member thus permitting adjustment of the spacing between the uprights of the L-shaped members, to a contacting position wherein said legs are frictionally secured in a selected position.

EVANGELOS ZAKOS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

1 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,019,826 McKee Nov. 5, 1935 

